128 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
October 27, 1888. 
Dalkeith, so forcibly seconded by Dr. Masters, 
and supported by Mr. J. Wright, Mr. Roupell, 
Mr. E. J. Baillie and others, and unanimously 
adopted, may not have meant so much as we 
have indicated, or it may have meant very much 
more. In any case, we shall he pleased if its 
spirit is allowed to operate in the Council, that 
Chiswick he taken in hand, if moderately 
at first, yet generously, that its buildings may 
—ere it is too late—be put into proper repair, 
its labour added to, and its locale popularised 
by the holding in the gardens of the regular 
meetings and some occasional shows ; and we 
cannot doubt but that very much greater and 
more practical work will follow. The Society 
wants money—that fact was emphasised by 
Mr. Smee at the concluding meeting—but it 
will not get it in any appreciable amount 
until it shows greater willingness to do more 
for Chiswick, and thereby for practical horti¬ 
culture, than it has done for some years past. 
Its name has now no talismanic significance in 
the country, and it is only by its works that it 
can in the future hope to obtain a liberal 
measure of public support. Horticulturists have 
been so long disgusted with the shilly-shally¬ 
ing, waiting for something to turn up sort 
of policy of the Council, that they no longer 
take its intentions upon trust. The Council 
must act now if public confidence is to be 
retained, and it must act quickly or more 
energetic bodies will undertake the work that 
it has too long neglected. 
Mr. Hibberd’s Resolution. —Whilst it was 
very obvious that permitting the Conference 
to disperse without taking some action in 
relation to the future of fruit culture would 
be unfortunate, very few of those present 
at the concluding meeting on Friday were 
aware of the intention of Mr. Tallerman, on 
the one hand, or of Mr. Shirley Hibberd on 
the other, to propose resolutions of a some¬ 
what analogous nature, and, if acted upon, of 
a practical character also. Mr. Tallerman 
having treated in an admirable paper on the 
question of “ Railway Rates of Transit for 
Fruit,” thought the Council of the Royal 
Horticultural Society should be urged to 
appoint a special committee to look after the 
interests of fruit growers before the Board of 
Trade. 
Mr, Hibberd apparently desired a wider 
reference, and seeing that two other readers of 
papers had asked first for better means for fruit 
distribution, in the shape of more open 
markets, and second, for greater facilities for 
the planting of fruit trees by occupiers of 
land, as well as for full compensation to 
such persons for orchard trees; made his 
resolution to include apparently all matters 
which in relation to horticulture come under 
the term of legal or Parliamentary. What 
the effect of carrying these resolutions almost 
unanimously, by the Conference, may be on the 
Council, it is hard to say, although we are far 
from being sanguine in the matter. The 
Council is thus placed as it were upon its 
trial, and if it fails now confidence must for 
ever be withdrawn from it as an exponent 
of the horticulture of the nation, however 
it may represent that of a very limited area. 
The promotion of certain bodies termed 
fruit-growers’ leagues and associations just now 
is more due to the apathy and inaction of 
the Council of the Royal Horticultural Society 
than to any other cause ; but now they have 
been so formed it seems doubtful whether they 
may not find ample scope for useful work, 
let the Council take what course it may. 
The National Chrysanthemum Society.— 
The convening of the recent general meeting 
of the members of this growing society, in 
London has called from a correspondent, 
also a member, the expression of an opinion 
that the evening of either of the coming 
November or January show days, but the 
November show for preference, should be 
selected for such purposes. He suggests that 
as the society includes in its membership so 
many provincial residents, few of whom can 
get to London except on the occasion of the 
chief shows, some endeavour should be put 
forth to enable all such to share in the 
business, as well as in the exhibition arrange¬ 
ments of the society. Further, he says that 
the cost of attending all or only a major 
portion of the society’s gatherings in the year 
is, for persons who reside only a moderate 
distance from London, three or four times 
as much as is the cost of membership, and 
therefore, efforts should be made to hold 
meetings at such times as would enable mem¬ 
bers to attend at the least expense. 
The proposal to hold a general meeting of 
the members in conjunction with the two big 
shows of the year is a good one, provided the 
labours of the day will admit of such an 
arrangement. We very cordially sympathise 
with our correspondent’s desire to share in 
the business proceedings of the society, and 
especially as the secretary, in the circular issued 
conA r ening the last meeting, laid special 
stress upon the fact that it was to be held to 
enable members to bring forward any proposals 
or suggestions they might desire to submit. Of 
course, such proposals could be sent in writing, 
but members would not only prefer to do 
so in person, but also to take part in the 
discussions respecting them. A conference or 
gathering is proposed to be held in connection 
with the Sheffield show on November 16th: 
why cannot a members’ gathering be held on 
November 7th in London! 
-- 
Nottinghamshire Horticultural ami Botanical 
Society.—At the monthly meeting of this society, to 
he held at the Arboretum Rooms, Nottingham, on 
Wednesday next at 7.30 p.m., Mr. M. Gleeson, Clumber 
Park Gardens, will read a paper on the “ Pine Apple.” 
The Chrysanthemum, Fruit and Potato Show will he 
held at the same place on Wednesday and Thursday, 
November 21st and 22nd ; and on December 12th 
essays will be read “On the Duty of the Employer to 
his Gardener,” for prizes offered by Mr. R. Sankev, 
Bulwell. 
The National Auricula and National Carnation and 
Picotee Societies.—The annual meeting of these 
societies took place at the Hotel Windsor, Victoria 
Street, S.W., on the 23rd inst., the Rev. H. H. 
D’Ombrain in the chair. Present also, Messrs. S. 
Hibberd (treasurer), J. Douglas (secretary), H. Turner, 
J. Lakin, R. Dean, T. E. Henwood, &c. The notice 
convening the meeting having been read, Mr. S. 
Hibberd presented the accounts as follows :—National 
Auricula Society : Receipts, including balance in hand, 
£91 12s. Id. Expenditure, including £61 12s. 6 d. 
prizes, £73 14s. 9 d., leaving a balance in favour of the 
treasurer of £17 17s. id. National Carnation and 
Picotee Society : Receipts, including balance in hand 
of £11 6s., showed an income of £59 7s., and an ex¬ 
penditure of £52 3s. id. , leaving a balance in hand of 
£7 3s. 10(7. The financial condition of both societies 
is highly satisfactory, especially when it is remembered 
that nothing in the way of financial help came from the 
Royal Horticultural Society. The accounts were 
remitted to the auditors, and it was agreed that the 
financial year shall in the future end on September 29th. 
The chairman was requested to send a letter of 
condolence to Mrs. Whitbourn, on the death of her 
husband, the late president of the society, aud Mr. 
Shirley Hibberd was elected president for the year, 
Dr. Hogg, Dr. Masters, Mr. J. T. D. Llewellyn and 
Mr. H. J. Veitch being re-elected vice-presideDts ; and 
Mr. 1. E. Henwood, of Reading, was elected treasurer 
in the place of Mr. Shirley Hibberd. The following 
were elected the committee for the ensuing year:_ 
Messrs. H. Cannell, E. Hill, J. James, R. Dean, C. 
Phillips, G. W. Wheelwright, W. L. Walker, H. 
Turner, and T. S. Ware. In the case of the National 
Carnation and Picotee Society, the president and vice- 
presidents were re-elected, Mr. T. E. Henwood being 
appointed treasurer of this also, and Messrs W. l” 
Walker, J. Lakin, and H. W. Headland being added to 
the committee. Mr. J. Douglas was re-elected 
secretary to both societies as heretofore. The appoint¬ 
ment of judges was referred to the new committee. 
The matter of the place of exhibition for 1889 was then 
considered, and it being thought possible that the Royal 
Horticultural Society might not be in a position to 
offer the societies accommodation as usual, the Rev. H. 
11. D Ombrain and Mr. S. Hibberd were requested to 
approach the Crystal Palace Company, to see if they 
would be willing to provide a place of exhibition at the 
Crystal Palace, and also make a donation to the funds 
of both societies. 
-—- > X < -- 
FRUIT PRODUCTION AND 
DISTRIBUTION.* 
By E. J. Baillie, Chester. 
Coming up from pastoral pursuits to this great centre 
of crowding, clamouring life, how can one express the 
feelings that somehow naturally force themselves to 
the front ? They may be said to be somewhat thus : 
Here you have in your great crowded centre somewhere 
approaching 5,000,000 of souls. This area, with its 
vast population, has practically grown nothing but 
bricks and mortar save the trees and flowers in its 
beautiful pleasure parks and its promenades; and if 
this great centre were dependent upon its own resources 
for market produce for its daily needs it would very 
quickly have to answer its children’s cry for bread by 
giving them stones. 
This great multitude must take some feeding. The 
open country of the shires gives garden ground enough 
for all. The earnings of the provinces find their way 
largely into the pockets of the land-owners, and they, 
in the natural order of present-day methods, spend a 
large portion of their time and the greater part of their 
wealth in London. There is a kind of feeling that, 
seeing so much of the wealth of the country comes here, 
more might be done for us, and less for the foreign 
coquettes who court your favour aud gain your 
sympathy and support for such things as we can grow 
quite satisfactorily at home. 
I do not at all fear the bogey of foreign competition. 
This is, I remind myself, a national conference, but 
the subject is really universal. The idea involved in 
fruit production and distribution is too large for a 
nation. We cannot, for instance, grow the Orange ; 
we should not like to dispense with it, therefore we 
invite the foreigner to send it to us. But we can 
produce Pippins ; then why should you raise your eyes 
above the beautiful fertile plains, say, of Kent and 
Sussex, and with the telescope of a false economy find 
beyond the seas, in the broad acres of America, Canada, 
Australia, and elsewhere, the admitted beauty of 
fruitful plains, but also an added imaginary beauty, 
really nothing beyond what you could have seen with¬ 
out the glasses within the confining hedgerows of our 
British orchards ? 
Land Cultivation the Basis of Economy. 
We must, however, get somewhat nearer the chief 
points to be considered. We must drop figure, and get 
to facts. We think we may safely start with an 
aphorism. Cultivation of the land is the basis of all 
economy. Mother Earth, after all, nurtures the whole 
family of the human race. “ The profit of the earth is 
for all; the king himself is served by the field.” The 
political economist and the social scientist can touch no 
profounder problem than the problem of production, 
and we cannot escape the consideration of the threefold 
aspect of the laws of life which all rightly civilised 
people recognise :—1. The population must be properly 
employed. 2. The people must be clothed and fed. 
3. As a necessary condition the land must be cultivated 
and cropped. 
Now, we have already reminded ourselves that we 
have to take ourselves outside the limit-line of streets, 
and alleys, and get into the open country, where we 
find agriculture and horticulture side by side, sometimes 
overlapping each other, but always mainly concerned 
with these four phases of occupation :—1. Cattle pro¬ 
duction, under which I would include the rearing and 
breeding of all animals for slaughter or other purposes. 
2. Wheat production, under which head I would 
include all arable farming. 3. Dairy farming, under 
which I would include all milk, cheese, and dairy 
products. 4. Fruit farming, including the production 
of vegetables and other market produce of this character. 
The consideration of the question of supply immediately 
brings before us the question of demand. We ask 
ourselves—What is demand ? Why is it needful to 
produce ? An elementary question truly, but one 
which has been handled peculiarly by the jugglers of 
political and other economists. Briefly, produce is 
needed for the maintenance of political life. It was 
easy for the French wit to say, “ Give me the luxuries 
of life, let who will take its necessities; ” but necessities 
are—necessities ! We then ask ourselves upon what 
can good health and happy life be best maintained ? 
The Needful Food of Man. 
Wei!, I fear we should here quickly get into conflict of 
* Condensed from a paper read at the National Apple and 
Pear Conference at Chiswick. 
